1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers which are usable to store collectibles as well as a wide variety of other articles and are structured to be employed in assemblies which may be self-supporting assemblies adapted to have individual containers removed therefrom and restored thereto without disassembly of the entire assembly.
2. Background Information
It has been known for many purposes to transport, store and display various types of collectibles such as dolls, small stuffed animals and a wide variety of other articles, which may or may not be collectibles, in such a manner that they are fully protected from infiltration of dirt, structural damage and the effects of sunlight, while permitting ready viewing of all or substantially all of the article.
It has been known to assemble such containers from individual molded components and to make such components from a resinous plastic material. For example, it has been known to display hockey pucks and baseballs in transparent resinous plastic containers which have a supporting base and transparent portions which surround and correspond generally to the shape of the respective hockey pucks and baseballs.
One of the problems encountered with respect to such containers is the need to have adequate shelf space to support the same or, in lieu thereof, to employ the upper surfaces of furniture such as a table, desk or bookcase, for example, for support.
It has been known for restaurants and other suppliers of prepared food to employ clamshell-type resinous plastic containers which have upper and lower hinged portions which are adapted to be interlocked and serve to permit transport of the food as well as, in some instances, consumption of the food directly from the containers. Such containers are not, however, adapted to be employed to create a self-supported assembly of articles which are intended to be stored for a longer period than prepared food. There remains a need for such containers and assemblies.